Part 2

“You know, Fennel, you don’t have to be so tense.” The hostess whispered in Catalina’s ear, “You are at home. No one will judge you here. No one will pry. It’s just you. And Cherry. Isn’t that right?”
Catalina backed away from the entrance, “That’s right. You asked me to come alone. Whatever happens, stays here.”
If it was up to her, she would burn the den of sin and travesty, then throw salt over the ash so nothing could ever grow again. But not while Cherry and her kin had value as informants. For now, she had to tolerate their affront to providence.
Her tolerance was starting to run out though. And it was running out quicker the longer she stayed.
“You know what I came for.”
“Why, was it just for Cherry?” She struts past Catalina and behind the screen, “In this rain? All the way from Josephburgh? Just to keep little old Cherry company?”
The gown she wore was flung over the screen, as another black and red garment slipped into the changing area. Her silhouette from behind the canvas gave a playful enticing display as she slowly changed her outfit.
“I did not. You have every halfwit in Nadine who can afford the hour for that already.”
“Oh, but Fennel…” Cherry gave an overly dramatic sigh, “I am hurt. Can you really blame a woman for doing what it takes to survive in this harsh unforgiving world?”

She sashayed into view once again, wearing a black dress which fitted her slight curves like paint, festive red ribbons lining her low neckline, shoulders and waist.
Cherry moved up to her, ”You have no idea how I have been looking forward to see you again. Can’t you at least let little old Cherry have a good look at her little Fennel?” Cherry left her hand to hover by Catalina’s hood.
“I… Really wasn’t planning on staying long.” Catalina peered away.
“But of course. And I would never keep you. But I oh so would like a memory of this meeting, hmm? Would you not indulge little old Cherry at least that?”

Reluctantly, Catalina pulled her hood down.
Before Cherry stood a mature yet beautiful woman with an eyepatch covering her right eye. The tough years she had endured hadn’t robbed her an ounce of her tender qualities, even though she kept her expression in a vigilant scowl, and her white hair cut short and patchy.
"You look… Heavenly.” Cherry offered an admiring smile. Catalina ignored that, reaching into her cloak, pulling out a small leather pouch that rang with coins as she dangled it from a string she kept pinched between her fingers.

“Your gold. I have it with me here. If you want a higher price, now is the time to ask.”
Catalina pushed the pouch into her hands.
Cherry weighed the silver in her palm, staring down at it then back at Catalina, “Right down to business, hmm?”
“...If you wouldn’t mind.”
Cherry dropped the gold on top of the dresser, “Darlin, you’re right. Of course. We really shouldn't linger here. We’re busy people, the both of us. With important patrons to entertain. Let’s get right down to it, shall we?”

Finally. Catalina stepped forward. That’s when Cherry opened the cabinet and pulled out a long bottle along with a pair of tulip-shaped clay chalices. Cherry shone a smile at Catalina, “Let’s celebrate a successful deal, shall we?”
Catalina shook her head, “I do not drink.”
“I have rosewater here too. Or darlin’... Are you saying that you live on air alone?”
“Cherry… No such formalities are necessary.” Catalina waved dismissively.
“For the Grand Master of the Chivalric Order of Meruvia? I should say it’s absolutely necessary. We wouldn’t want to dishonour your title now, would we?”
…As if standing there didn’t do that already, “For you, Cherry, I would make an exception. The two of us… We’re… We’re equal.”
“Then let us drink as equals too.”

Cherry poured the content of two bottles into one chalice each, then pushed one of them into Catalina’s hand.
“To a successfu business.” Cherry raised her chalice.
Catalina raised hers as well, then letting it drift towards her lips. She whipped her neck back, and drank all of it in one gulp. It was sweet to the taste. And gentle.
Cherry smirked. She merely soaked her lips in her own chalice.
“Drank it down so readily did you? Hm, you know… Had I chosen to poison the water, or the chalice, that would be the end of the Grand Master of Meruvia.”
“...I doubt the nastiest thing you could acquire could give me so much as a stomach ache.”
“Could be, darlin’. Or maybe you’ve just warmed up to me enough that you forgot all about the dangers and responsibilities swarming about you.”
“I can assure you, that is not the case. I did not achieve my venerated title by fluke. I have always and only lived for the Order. I breathe its cause. I move naught for progressing its goals. I do not get distracted. And I do not forget.”
“No one has asked you to forget anything, darlin’.” Cherry took a sip from her chalice, “But we all need a safe place of some kind. Somewhere to be yourself. Away from prying eyes. Who says that place can’t be here?”
“You have your gold.” Catalina asserted, “Where is the letter? I hope you had no plans to hold out on me.”
“Oh, darlin’.” Cherry whipped her neck back in a laugh, “You know me better than that. Haven’t I always delivered? We’re just sharing a drink, that’s all. Having a small chat.”

“I did not come here to chat.”
“Ah, but of course. Eyes on the price. Just like you. Take it as a life-lesson from little old Cherry, life is all about being strung along from one point to another. There’ll always be some prize to chase after. What matters; what makes up life, it’s the little moments that string those goals together. If you can’t appreciate them, you can’t enjoy life.”
“I don’t care.” Catalina hissed between clenched teeth, “The letter. Now.”
Catalina slammed the chalice on the dresser, leering into Cherry’s eyes.
“Tsk…” Cherry shook her head, “Darlin’, we’re really gonna let some business matter get in the way of a blossoming friendship? That certainly will not…”

A dull ringing was heard.
Catalina had drawn her sword. Held aloft in her right hand, she kept the tip leveled at the hostess’s throat. The narrow blade flashed in the candle light. Cherry’s eyes shifted between the sword and Catalina’s one eye. Any trace of composure had vanished from her eye. Only bloodlust remained. A vein bloated on her forehead as if her skull was about to crack.
Catalina’s exasperated breathing could be heard throughout the room. Her teeth clenched. Her left hand gripped her right hand by the wrist so tight it looked like it might shatter.

“Thank you.” Cherry said, finally, in a soft voice “The gold will do, darlin’. I don’t even know what I would do with a sword.”
Catalina’s expression softened. Her grip faltered, and she pushed it back into the sheath once more. Her hand shuddered. She looked around as if confused about what she herself did.
“I… I’m sorry. What I came here for… It’s…”

“Oh, darlin’...” The hostess’s smirk grew as she stepped closer, the liquor bottle still in her hand, “I had no idea it meant this much to you.”
She peeled off the bottle’s label, then pulled out a roughly square piece of parchment hidden underneath. She hands her letter. Catalina could only stare at the parchment. Being stored in such a way did it no service for the already sorry state it was in. Even so, for what it had endured it was hardly going to succumb to that. Cherry pushed it into her hand.
Yellow crumbs dropped from the tears and holes that speckled the parchment. Catalina raised it towards her eye.
Any text which had still endured was smeared or faded, yet the original calligraphic flourish remained. Whoever penned it had written in cursive when evidently he would much rather write in script. Clearly a man dedicated to calligraphic art who had written in a hurry.
She read it:

To the m_st revered Bisho_ of Sut I___
___his ___ighness the Bishop, ___ any soul ___the ___
of t_e Chief God, n___ver ___ to ex_erience a twe_fth o_ has been endur_d by ___ in Andethyst Abbey f_r the pas_
four nigh_s, I s_all die _ppy _nowing th_t th_s earth h___
___n blessed with clem_ncy ___ justice.
___ our sanctuary ___ already lo_t to the onslaught ___ ____ fiend___
___. Even now, ___ the Devil ___ are cont___ned, th_ d_ma_e is don_. Many of the monk___
belie_e th_ Chief Go_ to h_ve ab_ndo_ed ___ a_ode. They _ish not to sha_e roof with
the Devil ___, ___ sealed awa_ at t_e 6th room _f _he 4th bas_me_t. We no l_nger ha___
___gh staff to ___ our monastery. So_n even ___ shall be **** to d_part. I pr_y I have your per_ission. If n_t, th_n I fear I alw_ys
_acked the res_lve to be a m_nk ___ never _magin_d my
___th woul_ be t_sted like th___

I humbly b_g your f_rgiv_ness.
We ar_ men. Th_s is b_yond huma_ity.

__

T. Vatur

Like reading a slice of Headic cheese. Nevermind that. It relayed enough; exactly what Catalina needed to know.

“How did you come by this?” She asked.
“One of my best clients came over it. He’s a raider. His group works in the forest. This was about, oh, eight days ago.”
“...Did you steal this?”
Cherry gave an illustrious smile, “All my top clients give me gifts. Some of them simply haven’t been informed of this rule.”

Catalina stowed the note under her cloak. Handling stolen goods she could not abide by. However, with her on the case, that man would end up in the noose one way or another, then his possessions would be handled by her Knights either way. If all that changed was the order in which things occurred, then surely the Chief God would look kindly upon her actions.
Catalina turned on her heels, then flipped the cowl back up.
“Feel free to come back any time, darlin’.” Cherry let the coins from the pouch slide into her palm as she counted the gold.
Catalina stormed out without a word. The door slammed behind her. She had no intention of spending another minute in that dump.

Filth. All the way through.